USCG 6-Pax

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WALSHIE

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I’m thinking of going for my captains license.
I have a few questions

If you have done so, do you recommend a particular course?
How long did it take?
I see courses for $600 w/towing is that average?

TIA - Chris
 
If you have the experience and documented sea time, going for and earning a "tonnage" license (IE: 200 Gross Tons, Near Coastal) will be much more valuable and useable than the OUPV "Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel" ticket.
 
Good point but Tonnage is usually the issue to qualify to 100 GT as a good chunk of you sea time had to be on boats of a certain tonnage. You can get 1.5 times the largest boat you accrued time on rounded up to the next level.

It s not an issue for mates and crew but for more difficult for an owner operator

I got lucky when I got mine 15 years ago that most my time was on my 53 which is 39 GT. Times 1.5 was out me at 58 so I could go straight to the 100GT. But if someone s boat was 33 GT they d only get a 50GT

My luck held as the 100 allowed me to run a 70 footer which was about 70 or 80GT putting me just over to qualify for 200 a few years later.
 
Good info. Any ideas as to which school / class to take?
 
I used Sea School 19 years ago to obtain the OUPV-Near Coastal. Took a week off from work and spent a few days in class. Passed the first time.
 
Don’t know who does online course. I also used sea school for the OUPV, 100 GT and finally 200GT. The goal of the school is to make you pass. Plenty of hints as to which question will be in the test.

In fact for the 200 we did a practice test on the last day... next day the actual exam was the very same test. What a joke.
 
Most courses are "Exam Prep", they teach you the test. You need to know your rules, lights, ETC, before you try to take the class. I used these guys back in the 70's to prep for my first issue. Most classes are in person. There are some state supported trade schools in Louisiana that offer lower instruction cost. Not sure of current Covid Restrictions.


Houston Marine Training / Houston Exam-Prep Training Center, Inc.

We have the experience, the tools, the instructors and the student support to help you get on track towards a rewarding future.
www.kdoncorp.com
 
PascalG said:
Don’t know who does online course. I also used sea school for the OUPV, 100 GT and finally 200GT. The goal of the school is to make you pass. Plenty of hints as to which question will be in the test.

In fact for the 200 we did a practice test on the last day... next day the actual exam was the very same test. What a joke.
Click to expand...
True, I didn't learn a whole lot from SS, but it was the most convenient way for me to get the license. There were several in my class that failed the first time and a couple of guys actually flunked out altogether..
 
Yeah they were convenient for me too since they had the OUPV class right next to my marina. But if you ve owned a boat for a while you should know most of the stuff. What gets people usually is the nav rules section as it requires 90% to pass
 
I don't think there is a school near me, I'm most likely going to have to do this online. I'd prefer a structured classroom setting (So I actually DO IT!). It's a nice dream to think I can go someplace like Florida for the week alone and focus only on this....but that's not a very prudent use of vacation days from work.

Thanks everyone for your advice.
 
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